It feels like an age since Faker hijacked Australian airwaves with their juggernaut single This Heart Attack. At that time (2007) the four-piece from Sydney seemed set for dominance. However, what followed between then and now was, at least from an outsider’s perspective, not much. Then in November 2011, Faker uploaded an open letter on the band’s official website. In the letter, lead singer Nathan Hudson explains Faker’s experience since Be The Twilight and the process that had delayed the release of their long-awaited third album Get Loved. Deciding that a January 2012 release was too distant, Faker (with the support of their label EMI) made Get Loved available for free download from midday December 2nd 2011.
Reducing the band’s members to just Hudson and Nic Munnings during the creation of Get Loved, the record itself also has a slightly stripped-back feel. Rather than frantic guitar-driven indie rock Get Loved is primarily a mid tempo affair built around synth electro pop. Opening track Back When Solvents is a somewhat clunky start, however there is noticeable improvement in Hudson’s vocals, which possess a Robert Smith [The Cure] quality.
Lead single Dangerous is Faker at their best, writing songs about anxious love wrapped around pop melodies and catchy hooks. Hearts to Break is more of the same, in a good way, and has the potential to translate into crowd favourite with sing-along lines “Can’t leave now there’s hearts to break”.
Downtown Monster Squad is a methodical tune which steps away from radio-friendly verses and delivers greater substance in the form of lines such as “This internet porn is just eating his brain”. Could it also be a shout out to 1987 box office sensation Monster Squad? Probably not …
Long Forgotten Town will undoubtedly receive the remix treatment, already a nightclub-friendly tune in its current form. This song is a hidden gem on Get Loved and demonstrates a diversity of Faker that is seldom seen.
A successful return for Faker, Get Loved is a different route to the same destination. The record may not attract any new listeners but should reward existing fans who have been patiently waiting. Hopefully Faker can ride this momentum back onto the airwaves and the festival stages where they belong.
